1511

The old man walked along one of the small creeks supplying the Great River with water.

He sat down and began his speech, which he had held before.

"There were once three tribes of Middle Men, who leaned ways of staying alive in Middle Earth, by the Avari. The skinchangers was destroyed by the King of the East, and the pukelmen by the Wizard of the South. Now the evil will look for you and destroy you, so that the future of Middle Earth belong to the Middle Men.

He held a break and looked around.

A little person, half of his size, appeared among the bushes.

"What is this evil you speak of and why will it seek to destroy us?

"It is an alliance of all races born before men. They fear men will take over Middle Earth and aim to destroy them all. As the men are divided, they can destroy their tribes one by one."

"They will not be able to find us;" he said,

"This evil I speak of will. It has spies in the trees and in the stones;" the old man answered; "and in the water and in the sky."

The little person stood still for a while and looked around, as was he reading the mind of invisible peers.

The old man continued; "I have devoted my life to create an alliance of the nine tribes of men. You are the last tribe. Unite with the other tribes and tell me your secrets. Then you will learn theirs."

The little man said; "We need not learn more secrets, and will keep what we have to ourselves. However, we will always welcome friendship with others."

"Then send an ambassador with me and join the rest of the men of Middle Earth. You will each be given a token of iron that will secure you never again shall fear each other. I need the wisest among you, one who work with iron to create your tools and one who know about your secret."

"First tell me who you are, and why you do this?" he asked.

The old man answered; "I am Annatar, friends of all humans, I have been called to unite all tribes by those who awake you."

The little man said; "Then I will follow you and listen to you, but I will make no decision or disclose no secret before I have returned and spoke with my people. I am a smith, I know how to work with iron, thought I fail to see why this is important!"

The old man smiled.

After two years in Vinyalonde, Ereinion and Minastir headed south. There were now three ships as they had company by one of the ship in Vinyalonde. They had selected the bravest men and rounded Ras Morthil following the route of Tar-Aldarion.

Ereinion and Minastir was on the same ship.

Ereinion said; "My father will be proud of us, if we find his relatives. It was not only on his father's side people left Numenor. His mother, my grandmother, descended from Haldorian, the earl of Naldamir. The rumour is that relatives of her settled down in the south of Middle Earth.

Minastir then said; "Well, we have met no exiled Numenoreans in Eriador. It is likely they have travelled even further the Aldarion. It seems like your family have had severe conflict with the King, if they needed to travel so far from Vinyalonde."

Ereinion felt that Minastir was insulting him. He answered; "I know your grandfather is the King, but tell me from where did his wife origin?"

Minastir did not answer; he knew that all Numenorean were aware of his gransdmosther not belonging to the line of Elros.

After following the coast a year, the three ships came upon a large bay. A large natural harbour was on the north side of the bay. The ships landed there, and were welcomed by the population. The Numenoreans could not understand the language of the local people, but they gathered they called the place Umbar.

"-like faith;" Minastir stated.